


Siempre

by heartsdesire456



Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M, Nightmares, Not Canon Compliant, Oblivious Simon, Post-Episode: s01e12 Malec, Protective Raphael, Technically a Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-22
Updated: 2016-04-22
Packaged: 2018-06-03 17:11:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,583
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6619240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/heartsdesire456/pseuds/heartsdesire456
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Simon and Clary hadn't gone to free Camille, and instead Simon had brought Raphael in on what they needed from Camille, things might have gone a lot differently between them.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Siempre

**Author's Note:**

> So this is a bit melodramatic in parts, but I just really wanted to write a Saphael fic, lol.
> 
> There are a lot of times that Raphael says things to Simon in Spanish and they are not translated for you, since it's Simon's POV and the whole point is he doesn't know what the hell Raphael is saying to him, but if it turns out that a lot of people don't like me for that, I can always come back later and put it in the footnotes or something. 
> 
> Also if you do read Spanish, I apologize if the phrasing is weird. It's NOT as bad as when people Google Translate large chunks of Spanish, because I do know Spanish, however my Spanish is horrible (I joke that instead of having a second language, I've got one and a half languages, lol) and I learned Spanish from two sources, the main one from Spain and the secondary one from Colombia, so I'm bound to have weird phrasing things just based on dialects.
> 
> HOWEVER! The title, since it's the TITLE, means "Always"

Simon knew that Raphael got frustrated with him, but he absolutely hated being at the DuMort. He didn’t want to train, he didn’t want to learn to fit in with the rest of the clan, and he didn’t want Raphael to keep mocking him. So, when the opportunity came to go to a social thing with Clary rather than more death and destruction, he didn’t hesitate to accept the invite to be her plus-one for Alec’s wedding.

Raphael had been reluctant to let him go, but when he insisted that he would go whether Raphael allowed it or not, Raphael surprised him even more by demanding that he follow him. He had taken Simon to his room (and boy was it weird to see Raphael’s _bedroom_ ) and shoved a handful of suits at him before pushing him behind a changing screen (Raphael Santiago had a changing screen in his room and Simon wanted to shout that from the rooftops just because it was so amusing) and forcing him to try on suit after suit to find one that fit.

“If you insist on going, you are representing the clan,” Raphael had said. “We can’t have you underdressed.” 

Simon had had no idea what kind of excitement and drama could happen at a wedding, but to say it had been major would be an understatement. 

However, getting caught up in the excitement after that had never been the plan. Until it happened.

~

The minute the alarms sounded, Simon went from sitting in the hall on a bench waiting for Isabelle and Clary to change out of their wedding clothes to being dragged off the bench by Clary and a half-dressed Isabelle, who was still buttoning her pants, shirt hanging on her shoulder and boots untied, as they rushed down the hallway towards the main center of operations. Isabelle was just tugging her shirt down over her chest when they ran – literally – into Alec, who had only lost the jacket from earlier, and Magnus. 

Alec caught Isabelle by the elbows to steady her. “Where’s Jace?” he asked, looking past them, but Isabelle just shook her head.

“I don’t know, but if there’s an intruder-“

“Not to interrupt, guys,” Simon jumped in. “But less talking, more moving might help. Everybody is running that way,” he said, pointing to the direction the rest of the institutes people were heading.

Clary grabbed Simon’s hand and together they ran ahead of the others, following the rush of people. Isabelle pushed past them when they ran into their mother coming the opposite direction of the flow of people towards the armory. “Mom! What’s happened?”

“There was an attack,” she said, and a flash of blond behind her revealed where Jace was, though none of them had imagined he would be following Maryse with the limp body of a woman in his arms. Simon’s eyes widened when he recognized who it was.

“Is that-“

“Lydia!” Alec cried in alarm. He ran over and Jace immediately shifted her into Alec’s arms, sagging when Alec took her weight. “What-“

“Hodge,” Jace said, looking lost, voice hoarse as he stumbled after them when everybody turned and rushed the opposite way, after Maryse and Alec. “He took the cup. I went to see if I couldn’t talk Lydia into staying and he was about to kill her.”

When they burst into the much emptier infirmary, Alec rushed over to the nearest cot and, before Maryse could argue or ask, Magnus leaned over her, running his hand over her head and down her body, fingers glowing. “She’s got a pretty serious concussion, but that’s all I think,” Magnus said, and Maryse nodded, clearly able to put aside all the crap that had gone down that night in favor of the matter at hand.

“Nothing an Iratze can’t help?” he asked, and Magnus nodded, backing out of the way so Maryse could pull out her stele and heal Lydia.

Alec let out a heavy breath, looking at Jace, then at Isabelle, both of who were pale. “Hodge? Really? Are you sure?”

Jace nodded, swallowing hard, jaw clenched. “Robert went after him while I checked on Lydia. I-“ He shut his mouth and looked away.

Isabelle looked at Alec, their eyes both showing the pain of betrayal. “But he practically raised us,” she whispered, and Alec flinched.

“I guess he- I guess he was working for Valentine all this time.” He shook his head. “I should’ve _seen_. I should’ve noticed! Since we found Clary, he has to have been acting different, but I didn’t see it.”

“Neither did we,” Jace said and Alec shook his head.

“It isn’t your jobs to notice things,” he argued, cutting Isabelle off when she started to talk. “You two aren’t the ones in charge.

Magnus huffed under his breath at Alec’s side. “I never did like that one. Even before he joined the Circle,” he commented, eyes still on Lydia as her color started to come back, though she hadn’t woke up yet. 

Simon leaned closer to Clary. “If Hodge is a Circle member, and if he has the cup now, he knows everything about the Institute and how it works, right? How are they supposed to stop him?”

Before Clary could answer, Magnus spoke up. “Now, more than ever, we have find that damn cup again,” he said, walking over to Clary and Simon. “I lived through the first round of Downworlder massacres and I’m not going to go through it again.” He looked angry for probably the first time Simon had ever seen. “Valentine killed my friend and has tried to kill me repeatedly now. I’m sick of this dance, Biscuit. Time to change the song.”

Clary raised an eyebrow. “Well, do you have anything in mind?” she asked, and he nodded, eyes dark and serious.

“I definitely have a plan, that’s not for Shadowhunter ears.” He turned and walked away, snapping his fingers as a portal formed. He turned back to them as he walked. “You hunt down Hodge, get what you can from him. I’ve got work to do,” he said, throwing Alec a wink and a smile before stepping through the portal and closing it right behind him.

Simon looked down at the suit he was still wearing and winced. “Yeah, Raphael should probably not count on getting this thing back in one piece.”

~

Simon didn’t make it back to the hotel until the _following_ night. Almost as soon as he got inside, Raphael appeared in front of him. “Where were you?” he asked quickly. “You didn’t come home last night. You didn’t call. I thought the Shadowhunters-“

“Wow, no, I’m fine!” Simon said quickly. He walked past Raphael, heading towards his room. “I just couldn’t get home before the sun. It made sense to stay-“

“And not call?!” Raphael demanded, grabbing him by the arm to stop him. The sound of a ripping and tearing echoed and Simon looked at the jacket he had managed to keep all intact before turning back to Raphael.

“Okay, that one was all you,” he defended. Raphael gave him a stern look and Simon rolled his eyes. “Look, I don’t have your phone number,” he said simply. “I couldn’t call you, Raphael. I haven’t got your number.”

He pulled away and went on to his room. 

~

Simon had changed and hanged Raphael’s suit back on the hanger, because who knows, maybe a good vampire tailor could save it, so he didn’t expect anybody to come to his room. Because of this, he was surprised when there was a knock at his door only about an hour before dawn.

Simon put down his book and went to open the door, his eyes widening when it was Raphael. “Uh, hey,” he said, fidgeting some as he looked him over. Raphael was in _sweat pants_ and a _teeshirt_ for shit’s sake! It was confusing to say the least. “Are you okay?” he asked slowly, and Raphael rolled his eyes.

“I do not sleep in a suit, _Idiota_.” He walked into the room, pushing past Simon, and came to stop, standing in the middle of the room. “I need to know where you were and what happened to ‘being back early’,” he said, crossing his arms expectantly. “If something happened I don’t need the Clan caught up in your messes.”

Simon scoffed, stalking back to his bed. “Oh, the Clan is caught up in this mess, but not because of me,” he said, climbing onto the foot of his bed, looking at Raphael a few feet away. Raphael raised an eyebrow and Simon sighed. “They’re looking for Camille. She has something that can save Jocelyn. Wake her up from her coma spell thing.”

Raphael looked startled. “Camille? _Mierda_!” He ran his fingers through his hair as he paced a bit, making his natural curls stand up rather than his usual slicked back look. “Did you tell them she’s dead?” he asked, and Simon fidgeted some. Raphael spotted this and came closer. “Did you tell them she’s dead?” he asked again.

Simon took a breath, looking up at Raphael distrustfully. “But she isn’t, is she?” He saw Raphael’s eyes flash with just a moments regret before locking down. “You let me think she was gone but… but she’s alive somewhere. They tracked the owner of the book and saw her alive, chained up in a casket.” He shook his head. “Why did you not tell me she’s _in the same building_?” he asked.

Raphael deflated some and stepped closer. “I didn’t want to scare you,” he admitted. He met Simon’s eyes. “I know you’re afraid of her, Baby. She hurt you and turned you against your will. It makes sense you’re afraid of her. But she had to be kept here. Locked away where she can’t hurt you or anyone else.”

“Why?” Simon asked in a reserved tone. “Why not kill her? Why- why risk that she could get free some day?”

Raphael gave him a long look before speaking. “Because most of the Clan are her fledglings. As are you, no matter how much I treat you like you are mine,” he said sadly. He shook his head. “When we lose a member of the clan, it hurts us all. Like a pain and then a horrible sense of loss. When it is your sire, it is far worse than just any member of the clan. And even if you hate the person who died, you still feel the pain and loss and it’s almost worse because you also hate that you feel this when you should not care they are gone.” Raphael held his gaze. “I did not want to do that to our Family, Baby. It is so much easier for us all to just forget she exists, and leave her bound and left to rot where she cannot hurt anyone.”

Simon nodded slowly. “I wish I could forget about her, but…” He shuddered and Raphael, in a shocking stroke of gentleness, reached out and touched his arm, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly.

“She cannot hurt you, Simon.”

Simon startled some, looking at him closely. “Wow, it’s scary when you call me my name. I’m so used to insults or fledgling or baby vampire or whatever,” he said, and Raphael sucked his teeth in frustration.

“The one time I try to be kind to you-“

“No, it’s nice,” Simon said, laughing softly. “Just shocking.”

Raphael almost smiled, looking back to Simon. “So, if you didn’t find Camille where were you all this time? With the Shadowhunters trying to find her?”

Simon nodded. “Pretty much. It was a crazy night full of ups and downs, that’s for sure.”

“Oh yeah?” he asked. “How did the wedding go?” he asked. “Yet another Shadowhunter who wants us dead to add to the Institute permanently?”

Simon’s face brightened instantly and he groaned. “Oh man, it was AMAZING!” he cried excitedly, falling back onto the bed before sitting up quickly. “There was no wedding!”

Raphael cocked an eyebrow. “The wedding went poorly and you celebrate?”

“No, it went incredibly!” Simon said, bouncing some. “Man, it was like watching a movie! Alec was getting ready to seal the deal, say the Shadowhunter equivalent of ‘I do’ and boom! The doors open and in walks Magnus-“

Raphael looked up. “Magnus Bane?!”

Simon nodded. “Yeah, you know him? Anyways, he just walked in and _stood there_.”

“I don’t understand,” Raphael said with a frown.

“It’s so good!” Simon said, bouncing some. “So Clary had mentioned _something_ about Alec making a big mistake marrying Lydia, like how he was going to be miserable, but he always seems miserable to me and now I know why!” He held his hands out to the sides. “He’s _gay_!” He laughed. “Oh man, Alec’s mom went to make Magnus leave and he went all ‘I’ll leave if your son wants me to’ and then they just stared at each other across the whole room for like a minute,” Simon gushed. “Then Alec said something to Jace and Lydia and then I could hear Lydia tell him, ‘It’s okay’ and I thought like, okay for his warlock friend to be at the wedding or something, but then he walks down the steps and just takes off, like he’s going to punch Magnus or something, and told his mom to back off when she tried to stop him and then, and then-“ Simon smacked his hands together. “Totally kissed the crap out of Magnus! Right there! In front of everybody!” he gushed. “It was so beautiful and so romantic like something from a movie!”

Raphael huffed softly, shaking his head. “What on earth have you gotten yourself into now, Bane,” he said, and Simon looked at him curiously. Raphael laughed. “I have known Magnus Bane since I was your age. I would have never imagined him to fall in love with a Shadowhunter. Especially not a Lightwood.”

Simon sighed. “Oh man they’re totally beautiful together. Like, wow. It was just so romantic. Way better than a boring wedding of convenience.”

Raphael chuckled. “Well I am glad you were entertained while giving me a heart attack, Baby.”

Simon rolled his eyes. “Oh please, you’re already dead, a heart attack won’t kill you,” he teased.

Raphael sighed dramatically. “You make me wish I was alive so I could kill myself again,” he said and Simon wiggled his eyebrows.

“Admit it, I’m growing on you!” he goaded.

Raphael turned to walk away. “Like a disgusting fungus,” he claimed, going to grab his ruined suit before heading out again. “Go to sleep, Fledgling.”

Simon started to crawl up the bed to do just that, but he stopped. “Hey, Raphael?” he called, and Raphael turned back to look at him, one hand on the doorknob. “Camille really can’t get out, right? Like, she’s _really_ not going to escape?”

Raphael’s face turned soft, less like what Simon was used to, and he nodded. “You have my word. She cannot ever come after you. She will never be free again.”

Simon relaxed some, nodding. “Thanks.”

Raphael just nodded to him before turning and leaving finally. Simon slept more soundly that night than he had in the past several weeks.

~

The next night, when he first woke up and headed down to the kitchen to get a mug of hot blood – and God he was really becoming one of them – he was intercepted on his way to the cabinet where his Star Wars mug stood out amongst the plain ones. 

“Give me your phone,” Raphael said, and Simon whined, slumping against the counter, reaching blindly towards the cabinet far too far away beyond Raphael’s shoulder. Raphael sighed. “Simon-“

“Eurgh, fine.” Simon dug it out of his pocket and handed it to Raphael, who took it and then let him past to get his mug. When he filled his mug with blood and sipped it with a moan, his phone was thrust back into his face. “Ow, my nose,” Simon said, rubbing his nose instead of grabbing the phone.

Raphael rolled his eyes and stepped into Simon’s space, startling him a bit as he reached around him and _stuck the phone into his back pocket_. “I do not have time for this. Magnus called and I have to go get something from Camille’s condo.”

Simon blinked. “Camille has a condo?” He shook his head. “Wait, what did you do to my phone?” he asked to Raphael’s retreating back.

Raphael made a grumbled noise before calling back, without slowing, “Now you have no excuse to not call me.”

Simon rolled his eyes and made his way back to his room to drink his blood in peace before facing the night ahead.

~

Simon barely had time to drink a few sips of his blood before Clary called and asked him to meet her at the address she was texting him. He downed the rest of his blood and got dressed, opting to take a cab rather than run there, since it was too early in the night for that crap.

When he got there, to a really swank building, he was surprised to get off the elevator and find Raphael and Magnus Bane bickering about something. They both turned to him and raised eyebrows almost simultaneously, which was sort of hilarious. “Stanley?” He poked Raphael in the chest. “Why did you invite your fledgling?”

“I did not,” Raphael said, giving Simon an annoyed look. “Why are you here?”

Simon shrugged. “Clary texted me this address. Said she needed some help with Shadowhunter stuff.”

Raphael gave him a strangely cold look. “And of course, you do anything for _la peliroja_ ,” he said harshly.

“What redhead are we talking about?” Simon looked up, never more grateful for Isabelle interrupting. She smiled at Simon. “Simon! Hey, Clary said you were coming to help!” 

“Help with what, though?” he asked, walking around Magnus and Raphael’s weird staring match to get to Isabelle.

“Well,” she said, hooking her arm through Simon’s. “Camille has a book somewhere in this condo that will help us wake up Clary’s mom, but she also has more books than possibly the entire Institute library,” she said, leading him around a corner and into a room with floor to ceiling bookcases – and tall ceilings – all full of books. 

Simon whistled. “Well crap.”

“Who invited the Vampire?” Jace called out, and Alec turned to look at him and then made a face.

Clary threw the book she’d pulled off the shelf at them, hitting Alec rather than Jace. “You made out with a Warlock just last night, don’t make that kinda face at Vampires,” she chastised.

Alec rubbed his arm, glaring. “I’m making that face at _him_ , not Vampires. Or do you remember how much I wanted to kill myself when I was stuck with him as a Mundane?” he asked her mockingly.

Isabelle laughed, squeezing Simon’s arm. “Don’t take it personally. It’s just because you’re cute and he’s still stuck hardwired for all those years in the closet.”

“There is no world in which I was ever attracted to _that_ ,” Alec countered, waving a hand at Simon’s general direction. “I’m gay, not brain damaged.”

Simon scoffed. “Yeah well, you’re not that hot either, Buddy, so watch it.”

Clary looked Alec over and shrugged. “Eh, now that he stands up straight he’s actually got a really great body,” she said and Alec groaned, dropping his head against the bookcase.

“Can we please stop looking at my body and get back to looking for this damn book?” he asked loudly.

“Then invest in looser clothes, Alexander, because that is not an easy thing to do with your arms out for everyone to see, my dear,” Magnus called as he and Raphael walked into the room. 

Simon didn’t miss Raphael rolling his eyes or Alec’s ears turning red even though he didn’t look away from the bookcase. Raphael walked over to Simon, grabbing his wrist as he reached out for the nearest book. “Be careful,” Raphael said, then looked around. “Everyone, stop talking and pay attention. Camille could have traps anywhere here. You do not know her as I do.”

Magnus snorted. “No, you don’t know her like _I_ do, and trust me Santiago, I’ve done my work thoroughly. If there was a magical booby trap on these books, I would’ve noticed.”

“And I still say you may be wrong,” Raphael said testily. “She could have accounted for you trying to stop her. It wouldn’t be the first time. Just everyone, be very careful.” He looked at Simon. “You should really not touch anything. You are still very young as a Vampire. It could hurt you worse.”

Simon looked down at Raphael’s hand still on his wrist, and nodded. “Yeah, okay. I don’t want to risk it,” he said, and Raphael bowed his head with a smile.

“Good choice, Baby.” Raphael released his hand and Simon went to sit on the desk.

Magnus whistled. “Well now, Santiago, never thought you had it in you! He’s a cutie, I’ll give you that,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows at Raphael in a creepy manner. 

“Do not make me throw this book at you, Bane,” Raphael said gruffly. 

Isabelle chuckled. “You did call him _Baby_.”

Simon blushed at their implication. “It’s because they call me Baby Vampire at the Hotel. Everybody does it. Fledgling or Baby Vampire, never my name.”

“Probably because Samuel is a boring name,” Magnus called and Simon sighed dramatically.

“My name is not Samuel.”

Magnus shrugged, not looking away from his bookcase. “Whatever you say, Skippy.” 

After nearly an hour of searching, Clary finally groaned. “Okay, there has to be something to tip us off to where it might be,” she said, looking around at the half-emptied bookcases. “What does Camille like best? Maybe she hid it with books about her favorite things.”

Magnus huffed. “Look for books on ‘emotionally crippling tenderhearted Warlocks’.”

“Or ‘torturing mundanes’,” Raphael offered.

“ ‘How To Make Break An Immortal Heart 101’, perhaps?” Magnus offered. “Or ‘A Vampires Guide To The Fastest High: Cocaine Edition’.”

Raphael chuckled. “‘Disposing Of Human Bodies: A Vampire’s Guide To Murder’,” he offered with a grin at Magnus, who nodded back to him.

Simon’s voice didn’t quite share their humor when he offered up, “Try looking under, ‘Sexually Assaulting Teenagers’, or ‘Vampire Mojo Roofies For Dummies’, she’s good at that one.”

Everyone’s little huffs of laughter at Magnus and Raphael’s words died off and Magnus looked sort of green as he shared a look with Raphael, who then turned to Simon with a pained look in his eyes. “I’m sorry for laughing at how horrible she is, Simon,” he said sincerely and Simon gave him a small smile.

He shook his head, looking down at his feet. “It’s okay. I mean, she sorta murdered me, so molesting me isn’t exactly the worst thing she did.”

“Still, we should not have laughed,” Raphael said softly. “I am sorry, and I don’t think Magnus even knew about that, so it isn’t his fault.”

Magnus nodded meekly. “Yeah, that’s really fucked up, Sherman. I really regret laughing now.”

Isabelle hissed. “Language! Nobody dressed as fabulously as you are should have to curse to get their point across,” she chastised. “Say it with a look, not your mouth.”

“Oh, usually I do, but Camille brings out the worst in me,” Magnus grumbled, throwing the next book with a bit more force than necessary.

Alec made an abortive motion to grab the book before it hit the ground, but he was too late. “Hey, her books are not to blame for Camille being horrible. Be gentle,” he said in an authoritative tone as he picked up the abused book and fixed the dust cover, straightening the bent pages gently before he set it on the table with the others. “The books are innocent, guys.”

Because he went right back to the bookcase he was searching, he was the only one who didn’t see the absolutely sappy look Magnus fixed on his back. Simon looked at Clary, who mimed gagging. Isabelle threw a book at him and shushed him while Jace pretended to swoon beside her. Raphael sighed dramatically, rolling his eyes. “I hate Shadowhunters.”

“They probably hate you, too,” Magnus offered and Raphael grumbled something under his breath in Spanish. “Stop that, Santiago! I would never do that to anyone’s mother, especially not my own.”

Raphael snorted. “You were in love with Camille. I cannot know what you might do. If you hadn’t confessed to it, I would have thought she was making it up for attention all the times she bragged when you crossed paths with us.”

Simon raised an eyebrow at Raphael. “You weren’t part of the Clan when Magnus and Camille dated?”

Raphael gave him an amused look. “My mother had not even been born yet. Possibly my grandmother was not even born yet.”

Clary looked over at Raphael curiously. “Wait, how old are you?”

Raphael smirked his most evil smirk. “Wouldn’t you like to know, Shadowhunter.”

“He’s eighty-one,” Magnus offered with a bright smile. “Ha! Revenge is sweet.”

Raphael narrowed his eyes at him, but Simon’s eyes widened as he turned to Raphael. “Wait, you’ve only been a vampire, what, sixty years?” he asked, and Raphael nodded. “Wow, do you ever get embarrassed when vampires think you’re ancient and you have to admit you’re from the era of Drive-Ins?” he asked with a teasing smile.

Raphael gave him, and only him, a small smile. “It is amusing to see the jealousy there is when people find out that a vampire younger than them was second in command and is now basically the leader of the Clan.” He gave him a teasing grin. “You are still the Baby of the family.”

Jace yelped suddenly and they all turned, alert, only for him to stare down at the book in his hands like it was going to bite him. He looked up with a shell-shocked look on his face. “I did not know that pornographic photography was a thing in the 19th century but now I do.”

“Ah yes, one of Camille’s favorite hobbies back in the day,” Magnus grumbled. “Never liked it when I wouldn’t pose for her. Should’ve been a sign, but I was just too damn stupid to see.”

“That your girlfriend was a freak?” Jace asked, tossing the book away (Alec didn’t make any move to stop him for once).

Magnus huffed. “That I was just another plaything to her.” He leaned against the bookcase with an uncomfortably pinched look on his face. “I was in love with that women for over twenty years, even though she and I didn’t even get together until the very end of those twenty years, and there are two reasons I made that mistake in the first place.”

Jace snickered. “Yeah, as I just learned, she does have a nice rack.”

Magnus gave him a look that brought the phrase, ‘if looks could kill’ to Simon’s mind. “Why do you have to be so crude? Is there some rule about cocky blondes?”

“I can tell you those two reasons,” Raphael said, giving Magnus a matter-of-fact look. “Magnus Bane gets far too attached far too easily, and Magnus Bane is cursed with a soft heart that searches for the good in everyone he allows to touch his life,” he said. “It’s the reason I am here. It’s the reason Camille is still alive. It’s the reason we are stuck doing this now.”

Magnus gave him a look that said he’d touched a nerve. “Letting your entire Clan die just to take Camille down with them would have been petty. She’s a snake, but she never did anything I could have intervened in, and I’m not reporting rumors to Shadowhunters so they can come down on all of you,” Magnus said in a harsh tone, abandoning the books to squarely face Raphael. “Camille broke the accords and everybody knew it, but ratting her out would have ended in your whole Clan wiped out.”

“You could have done something yourself-“

“I did! I got her back on her feet so she could stop the rest of them!” Magnus countered. “I’m not a murderer! I wouldn’t kill her unless I happened to be there when she was hurting someone else and I had to. I don’t kill people. _You_ don’t kill people!”

“If it was not in the best interest of my Clan I would stake her the moment I get home,” Raphael said in a cold tone. “She goes too far. She endangers us all. She _tortured and killed Simon_ just because she felt like it and I could do nothing but take him to his friends and let them decide.” He shook his head. “I am not you. I will kill the ones who give us the reputation as monsters. I did before Camille returned to take her place as our leader. Culling out the bad seeds who enjoy torturing people and helping those who make mistakes is the reason my Clan is able to survive.”

Magnus rolled his eyes. “That’s all great, but I’m not you! I could no more stake Camille than I could you!”

“And I would have hoped that after all you did for me, you would have it in you to stop me if I ever became like the one who made me,” Raphael shouted. “You loved her once upon a time a very long time ago and she used you repeatedly for decades! Every time she showed back up, you let her be cruel to you and hurt you because she knows how to do so! You are Magnus Bane! High Warlock of Brooklyn! Why have you not set ice and steel to that tender heart of yours-“

“I tried that, and it sucks!” Magnus argued, getting up in his face. Simon wasn’t the only one who had stopped and was just staring in shock at them. “You were the last person I opened my heart and my home to! After you got back on your feet and were ready to lead your people, I _shut my heart_! I stopped getting close enough to anyone to get attached! Ragnor and Catarina were the only friends I even kept any sort of contact with outside of wild parties at the club, and look how that worked out! I shut everybody out for the past sixty years and now you and Cat are the only friends I have left!” He shook his head, eyes burning with fire as he looked at him. “The past few weeks have made me realize how much I hate that me. I remember why I let Camille walk all over me, and why I saved you, and why I enjoyed life so much.” He shoved Raphael half-heartedly. “Because love is worth it. Feeling all the hurt is worth _feeling_. Clary decided not to stake her best friend because she loves him. Alec disobeyed the Clave because he loves his sister. I saved you because your mother loved you,” he said and Raphael flinched. 

Magnus’s eyes lost some of their anger and he shook his head slowly. “The only shred of emotion I felt for so long was affection for Jocelyn and Clarissa because how much that woman loves her child penetrated all the doors I had locked, and right now, this?!” He gestured around them. “It’s more important than you taking it out on me that you finally feel something for once in your undead life that isn’t self-hatred. Clary’s mother is more important than you giving me shit for not being strong enough to stand up to the woman who turned me into a doormat just because you found a feeling rattling around in there.” He turned back to the bookcase he had been searching. “So I don’t know about you, Raphael, but I’m going to search for that damn book right now.”

What had once been amusing was now the most awkward thing most of them had ever felt. The Shadowhunters all went back to searching in silence. Simon looked at Raphael, who looked like he’d been slapped, then over at Magnus, whose hands were shaking. He was dying to ask Raphael so many things about his past and his relationship with Magnus, but he valued his undead life so he knew better than to say anything at all.

It didn’t stop him from mentally storing up on things to ask about later.

~

Simon forgot all about asking those things when Camille _escaped_. It was nobody’s fault, not really. Stan had gone down to feed her as he did every day, only she had apparently decided to feed on _herself_ to get an extra boost of really gross energy and, when he opened her casket, she grabbed him and threatened to rip his throat out if he did not release her. 

As terrified as he was of Camille, he was actually glad Stan let her out, because he liked Stan. Stan was cool. Stan watched Star Wars with him sometimes. No more Stan would be really sad, in Simon’s opinion.

Raphael, however, had gone on a warpath. They were all forbidden from anything but searching for Camille every darkness hour. No parties, no dates, no nothing. Only hunting her down. Raphael had sucked up his pride after their fight and gone to Magnus in hopes he could track her, but she knew well enough to shield herself from Magnus’s tracking. Everyone was on high alert every night after she escaped. Clary, Alec, Isabelle, and Jace were afraid she might come after Magnus. Jocelyn – who was finally awake thanks to Magnus – and Luke were afraid she might somehow team up with Valentine. Magnus was sure she would go after Alec just to get back at him. The Shadowhunters at the Institute didn’t know she was free since nobody wanted them to bring their wrath down on the Clan for her crimes against the Accords.

Simon was scared she would come after him, but not too realistically afraid since he knew he wasn’t really a priority of hers. He was afraid of her the way he was afraid of Spiders. They weren’t going to actually do anything, but the thought of one sneaking up on him in his sleep was terrifying.

Raphael, though, he took the threat to Simon far more seriously than Simon thought was necessary. While the others were all out searching for her, Raphael left at least two people to stay with Simon wherever he was at in the Hotel. The only time Simon wasn’t being watched was when he was alone in his room (they stayed outside the doors) or when Raphael was the one who was with him and he let the others go about their business. 

Lately, Raphael had started spending a lot of time with Simon. Whereas before they trained and were companionably friendly towards each other, Raphael now allowed Simon to try and show him things simply because, as far as Simon could tell, he wanted an excuse to be around Simon in case she returned. When Simon asked why he cared so much, Raphael looked at him like he was the stupidest person alive and muttered what seemed to be his new favorite insult (or at least he assumed; he didn’t know Spanish) for Simon.

“ _Tú eres demasiado lindo para ser tan estúpido_.”

Raphael said it all the time, but whenever Simon asked him about it, he just rolled his eyes at him. It was all very confusing.

Currently, he said it just because Simon asked him why he didn’t give the Clan a break from their sleep, feed, hunt Camille schedule. “I’m just saying,” Simon offered. “If she was doing something we would’ve found her by now.”

Raphael huffed. “She is always up to something and the fact we have not found her is not a good enough excuse to give up.” 

Simon huffed, leaning back as he slid down, sprawling across the couch. “Raphael, I’m bored being locked up. The Clan is bored of tireless searching. She isn’t coming after me and she isn’t coming after Magnus or his boyfriend, so we can’t find her without knowing who or what she _is_ after.”

Raphael walked over to him and, much to Simon’s confusion, sat on the edge of the couch, looking right down at Simon, arm braced on the back of the couch behind Simon. “If we do not stop her, she will make allies. She will turn a new army. She will kill me and take all of you back. I do not fear her killing me half as much as I fear what she would do to our family if she got her hands on them.”

Simon looked up at him in surprise. “She is after you? Why?”

“Because I overthrew her, _Idiota_.” He sighed, though this time he smiled as he shook his head. “ _Tú eres demasiado lindo ser esta estúpido_.”

Simon narrowed his eyes. “I know you’re saying stupid in there at the end. Excuse me for not thinking about all the reasons Camille is terrifying.” He eyed Raphael’s smile with suspicion, but did not comment. “If she wants you, is it really safe for you to be the one left guarding me?”

Raphael shook his head solemnly. “I would never let her get you. I would die before I let her have you.” He cleared his throat some. “Any of you. You all. I would die before I let her have you all. My Clan is my family. Not even Camille’s years and experience and strength can stop me if she puts me in a position where she thinks she can kill me and take you all back.”

Simon looked up at him with a strange sensation in his chest that he wasn’t used to. He genuinely felt trust towards Raphael. He believed him. His life was in the hands of one vampire and he honestly didn’t doubt for a moment that Raphael would protect every one of them. Raphael _cared_ about his people. His family. Simon’s new family. “You really deserved to lead this Clan already, didn’t you?” Simon asked quietly, managing a small smile. “You may be relatively young for a vampire, but you are a good leader. We trust you, you know?” he teased. “Even me. You genuinely only want to protect us and let us live a life in our undead way.”

Raphael nodded with a playful look of relief in his eyes. “You are learning, Baby. Keep it up. You may not be quite the _Idiota_ before very long.” He stood up, and Simon didn’t even realize how used to Raphael being up in his space he had gotten until he was gone. It felt like Simon was suddenly cold without Raphael right beside him, even though, being undead, he was always cold.

~

Simon heard Raphael arguing with someone as he approached his room and he stood from his bed in a hurry, nearly falling out of it as he headed towards the door. Raphael had been in a hell of a mood lately and he didn’t want him to take it out on Lily or someone else because he was being strange. When he opened his door, however, he was shocked to see it was Magnus Bane Raphael was arguing with. It was especially unexpected that they were arguing in _Spanish_.

_“Tú sabes lo que estoy sintiendo porque tú sientes a lo mismo por él!”_

Raphael growled. _“Él es sólo un volantón, Magnus! Simon no necesita esa carga y yo no tengo la intención de darsela a él. Es definitivo!”_

Simon crossed his arms, leaning against the doorframe. “I heard my name in there, guys,” he said, giving them both a teasing glare. “It’s rude to talk about people.”

Magnus smirked. “Sandy! It’s great to see you.”

Simon gave him a flat look. “That one isn’t even a boy name, so I know you don’t actually think that is my name.”

“Whatever, Sheila,” Magus said, waving a bejeweled hand dismissively. “Just some Camille business.”

“Then why did I hear my name?” he asked, looking over at Raphael. “You don’t seriously think she’s actually going to come after me, do you? I mean, I know you’re doing what you can so I don’t feel scared, but logically, why would she give a crap about me when she could come after you instead?”

Magnus made a noise of doubt, tilting his head. “Eehhh she might. I mean, probably not, but you’re adorable in a really boring way, and she likes cute boys as her pets,” Magnus said. “You’re young and sort of puppy-like with the big brown eyes.” He turned to Raphael. “But he’s right. You need to focus on you.” He smirked slowly. “You need to think about things very carefully-“

“I will bite you, Magnus, I swear to God,” he threatened and Magnus made a face.

“Ew, I’m flattered, but I really don’t think of you that way-“

Raphael narrowed his eyes dangerously. “Get out of my Hotel,” he said, and Magnus laughed, winking.

He walked over to the wall and opened a portal, blowing Raphael a kiss. “Toodles!” he said before he disappeared into the portal.

Simon looked at Raphael, who groaned, shaking his head. “I have no idea why I am friends with that Warlock,” he said before continuing on his way, leaving Simon standing in the doorway, very confused by everything that had just happened.

~

_The chains that held him to the wall rattled as Simon scrambled as far as they would let him, drawing away from Camille as she approached. He whined and turned into the wall, his hands pulled far to the side as he pulled as far as the shackles on his wrists let him. Camille just tutted and stroked a fingertip down Simon’s ear and along his jaw. “Now, now. Don’t be a bad boy, Simon. You know what happen to bad boys, don’t you?” Simon whimpered just as her nail pricked his chin and she leaned in and licked the bubble of blood that came to the surface. “Bad boys get punished,” she said, grabbing him around the neck with strength he did not possess._

_He cried out as she wrenched him around to face her, her palm against his throat and her nails digging in on either side of his neck painfully. He could feel blood sliding down onto his shoulders and chest. She pinned him to the wall and licked at his bare collarbone, following the dribbling blood up to the side of his throat, and then she sank her fangs in, making him scream out, not from the pain, but from the fear of her draining him completely-_

“SIMON!” 

Simon jerked awake with a loud shout, sitting up so fast he would’ve fallen off the very edge of the bed he had rolled to in his tossing and turning had it not been for the strong arms that caught him and gently slid him further towards the middle of the bed. “Where- She- Camille was-“

“Shhhhh.” Simon was still not entirely sure if he was awake or asleep, but he was comforted by a hand stroking through his hair just as his mom had when he was a little boy and had nightmares. “ _Está bien, estás a salvo. Estoy aquí, Nene._ ” Simon fisted his hands in the shirt of the person holding him and rubbed his face against the soft fabric.

“R-Raphael?” he asked shakily, instantly recognizing the voice and, after breathing against his shirt, the scent. “What- I-“

“It was only a nightmare, Simon. I promise,” he comforted. Simon could feel his breath against his hair. “You were just dreaming. Camille is not here.”

Simon started to wake up some more and he pulled back, frowning at Raphael. “How did you know to wake me up?” he asked sleepily.

Raphael raised an eyebrow. “You were screaming and it echoes here. Did you not realize that?”

Simon shook his head, still frowning. “I was screaming? I never scream in my sleep. At least I don’t think I do.” He looked away, then shrugged slightly. “Although, I’ve never had nightmares about something actually possible I don’t think. Definitely not about beautiful women murdering me… again.” He turned back to Raphael, brows furrowed. “Is it really murder if she did that once already? Extra-Murdering? Murder-er?”

Raphael smiled gently, shaking his head in amusement. “You are funny when you are still half asleep,” he whispered softly, and Simon managed a tired smile. 

It was then that Simon looked down and realized that, essentially, he was cuddling Raphael. “You’re in my bed,” he commented and Raphael tensed slightly and started to pull away.

“I am sorry, I was just trying to stop your thrashing-“

“No!” Simon clung to his shirt, then winced at how desperate he sounded. He cleared his throat, looking up at Raphael for the first time really. It was a bit distracting how soft and gently curly Raphael’s hair was when it was not styled. “I- I don’t-“ Simon ducked his eyes, voice going small. “Don’t leave me alone?” he asked meekly.

Raphael’s eyes showed no annoyance at all, only a gentle sadness that Simon was coming to recognize often in Raphael’s gaze. “ _Por supuesto, Nene_ ,” he whispered, settling back against Simon’s pillows, letting Simon curl into his side, laying his head on Raphael’s shoulder.

Simon exhaled more comfortably as he settled with his hand resting on Raphael’s middle, not clinging to his shirt, but resting there to be sure Raphael didn’t leave him by himself. He tried to settle down but he was still so startled from that dream. “One of these days, I’m going to buy a Spanish-English dictionary,” he threatened and Raphael chuckled softly.

“I doubt a dictionary will tell you what I’m saying about you behind your back,” he teased. “There are a lot of words that aren’t quite family friendly.”

Simon hummed. “Urban Dictionary it is.” Raphael’s hand settled on his elbow, rubbing at it comfortingly and Simon relaxed some. “I don’t remember her killing me, but I dreamed that she had me, like I am now, chained up and was feeding on me. Can vampires even do that?”

Raphael took a moment to answer. “They can. It is not for nourishment, though. She has, I am sure, though. It is… it is not a singular thing. The way she has probably done it, however, is a power thing. It is not a torture, because it does not hurt when we bite people or each other, but it is her way of demonstrating her dominance over those she has enslaved. It is not inherently sexual, so it is not necessarily like forcing yourself upon someone, but it is something intimate enough that to have her force someone down and feed from them is something horrible. She gets no nourishment from it. She just gets the pleasure of knowing she can do whatever she wants and they cannot stop her.” He squeezed Simon’s elbow. “It is a violation to remind someone that she controls them entirely.” He sighed. “Just another of the many reasons I hated being her second in command. I could not stop her from ever doing that to someone who upset her. I never saw her do it, but I know that people would start behaving afraid of her and that she was likely to do it.”

Simon made a face. “It sounds a lot like rape, Raphael. Like a non-sex version of rape.”

“In a way, I guess it is,” Raphael muttered, looking disgusted at the very thought of Camille. “She is… she is the type of vampire that makes us have the reputation we do in Mundane fiction.”

Simon chuckled. “When I thought I was becoming a vampire, I ate a bunch of garlic to see if I still liked it. And kept looking at mirrors to see if I still had my reflection.” Simon looked up at Raphael. “Guess that one was stupid, since I had already met you, and there’s no way you did your hair like that without a mirror,” he joked.

Raphael shrugged, grinning. “When you have time to enjoy the finer things in life, why not indulge sometimes? Expensive clothes and hair products are luxuries I could have never had in my human life, so why not enjoy them as a vampire?”

Simon closed his eyes, snuggling closer into Raphael’s chest and side. “Especially if you’re friends with Magnus Bane,” he added. “How on earth did that even happen? I know he said something about saving you, but since when do vampires and warlocks associate? And he said something about your mother?” he asked in confusion.

Raphael slowly exhaled and leaned his cheek against the top of Simon’s head. “I knew him before I knew Camille,” he answered and Simon turned to look at him in confusion.

“What? How?” he asked, looking up into Raphael’s eyes searchingly. “I just assumed… well I don’t know. I figured you met him dealing with her.”

Raphael shook his head. “My mother came to him. He was doing some mundane private investigating – God knows why – and she came to him when I went missing.”

Simon’s heart dropped. “You got turned,” he said, and Raphael nodded.

“Some children were going missing in my neighborhood. I got together with a group of young men all around my age, barely even adults, and we started going out at night, trying to stop whoever was taking the children. There were rumors it was vampires, but we did not really think they were vampires.” He chuckled. “You could say we found them.”

Simon watched Raphael’s throat bobbing and nudged him with the hand on his middle. “How did Magnus save you if you had been turned? I mean, save you from what? Why didn’t the vampires just take you in?”

“They were horrible vampires,” Raphael said firmly. “The one who made me, he was like Camille. He enjoyed torturing Mundanes. He wanted to be feared and he murdered for fun.” Raphael shook his head. “He turned only me, and then he left me locked in a room with my friends.”

Simon’s jaw dropped. “Shit,” he said and Raphael looked away, though Simon could still see his jaw clenching. “Oh man, Raphael-“

“I killed them. I killed them all and then I killed the one who made me after I realized what he had done, what he made me do.” He shook his head. “I was trying to stop murderers and he made me one.”

Simon rubbed a hand over his side soothingly. “That’s why you wanted to stay with me when I turned. You didn’t want me to lose control and hurt my friends.”

Raphael nodded. “I could not let Camille do to you what my Sire did to me. She would have loved it just as he did.” He smiled bitterly. “And I would have let you kill her the same way I killed my Sire.” He gritted his teeth. “I was never more grateful for vampire’s strength than when I killed him for what he made me.”

“All those times I called myself a monster,” Simon said softly. “That’s why you looked sad. You felt that way too, didn’t you?”

Raphael squeezed him slightly. “We are not monsters. The Camille’s of this world are the monsters. Not you, Simon,” he said firmly.

Simon nodded. “But how did Magnus save you?” he asked.

Raphael looked down at him with sadness in his eyes. “I was standing in front of an open window when he found me, just as the sun was rising. I was going to kill myself. And when he dragged me out of the sunlight, I tried so hard to pull free and throw myself into the light before he could stop me. I was in a room with the bodies of my friends and I had killed them. I just wanted to end the monster before the monster consumed everything that I was.” He smiled sadly. “Magnus Bane’s biggest flaw is that he has too big of a heart. I will never stop thinking that. He took me home with him. He kept me from killing myself. He taught me how to control the hunger, and how to control myself. He did all the things that I have done for you and he is not a vampire. He just knew them from being around our kind.” He nodded. “I owe him my life. He is not really my friend. We do not really get along. But he saved me and showed me kindness, and I cannot ever forget that. He is a good man.” 

Simon swallowed hard, his own throat tightening as he thought about his mom and his sister before asking Raphael the question he had been dying to ask since he started talking. “Did- Did your mother ever find out what happened?”

Raphael smiled a warmer smile, nodding. “She did. Magnus let me train myself to be able to handle not just the lure of human blood, but he did not stop me when I hurt myself over and over until I could walk on consecrated ground and wear the cross my mother gave me when I turned eighteen. I did go home to her. I visited all the time. She knew what I was, but she never mentioned it. I came to see her until she died. I continued to visit my brothers until they all died,” he said. “I do not tell you to stay away from your family or friends forever, Simon. I only want you to never hurt them. I know what it is like and I never want you to feel like a monster,” he said gently. He stroked Simon’s hair with a small smile. “You would be a terrible scary vampire anyways,” he teased, making Simon roll his eyes. “You look like a small dog when you get upset or excited.”

Simon laughed, unable to stop himself. “You’re such a jerk,” he groaned, looking up at Raphael’s face. He grew more serious, lifting his head a little to look at Raphael straight on. “I know that I’ve been really ungrateful to you in the past, but I want you to know I really do appreciate how much you do for me,” he said softly and sincerely. “I’m sorry I’ve been so difficult. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

Raphael let out a soft sigh and raised his hand, brushing a curl from Simon’s forehead before letting his fingers trail down the side of his face. “I could never give up on you, Baby. You have to know this by now.”

Simon shivered slightly as Raphael’s finger trailed along his jaw to his chin. “Raphael,” he breathed. Raphael tipped his chin up and gave Simon a look so gentle, and so tender that he had never dreamed of anyone looking at him that way before. Simon closed the gap between their faces and pressed his lips to Raphael’s softly. Raphael inhaled in surprise, but then he kissed back.

Oh did he ever kiss back. Simon let out a tiny squeak of surprise when Raphael deepened the kiss, curling his hand around the side of Simon’s face as he kissed Simon in a way he couldn’t imagine ever being kissed. Raphael sucked Simon’s bottom lip into his mouth and ever so gently scraped his teeth over the inside, making Simon gasp against his mouth. Raphael took it as an invitation and lapped carefully into Simon’s mouth. Simon moaned at the feeling, chasing Raphael’s tongue when he started to withdraw. Simon reached up and finally sank his fingers into Raphael’s curls, pleased to find that, yes, they really were that soft.

Raphael moaned against his mouth as Simon tugged at his hair slightly, making Simon press even further into his body. Raphael, however, reached down and placed his hand on Simon’s hip, carefully putting a little bit of space between them as he slowed the kiss and pulled away, grinning when Simon whimpered and tried to follow him. “Easy, Cariño.” Simon pouted at him and Raphael chuckled. “ _Eres tan lindo._ ”

Simon narrowed his eyes, curling his hand around Raphael’s neck, stroking at the hairs at the nape of his neck. “Again with the Spanish.”

Raphael leaned their foreheads together. “I said, ‘you are so cute’,” he clarified and Simon gave him a smug look.

“I knew it. I knew you think I’m cute. You just wouldn’t admit that I’m adorable,” he said, poking Raphael in the side. “I also knew you were totally hot for me. Yup, I knew it.” 

Raphael laughed, shaking his head. “You had no idea. You kept looking at me like I was going mad when I did something for you. Like kindness was suspicious from me.”

Simon gave him a sheepish grin. “Yeah, okay. I just…” He shrugged, looking down at the hand on Raphael’s side. “Why would you like me? I’m annoying and loud and you are frustrated by everything I do. I’m nerdy and you’re ridiculously hot, come on, let’s be real.” He hummed dismissively. “I just couldn’t let myself even imagine-“

“Then get used to it,” Raphael interrupted, tipping Simon’s face back up so he could look at him. “I was so frustrated with you because I wanted you, Simon.” He shook his head, smiling fondly. “You’re an attractive man, and I did not like it. I do not feel attracted to people. I find people attractive to look at, but I do not have lovers. I certainly do not have romantic feelings. I shut that part of myself away a long time ago. Any time I met someone that I wanted in that way, I shut it off.” He met Simon’s eyes. “But you… I could not shut you off. You got under my skin and it drove me _crazy_. It still does.” He stroked his jaw tenderly. “When you were a Mundane that Camille insisted we kidnap, I immediately wanted to protect you.” He flinched some, looking away. “I tried so hard to make her leave you alone. I tried reasoning with her every way I could. I couldn’t explain it. I just… something in me screamed at me to protect you. And I failed,” he said with a shrug. “Even when I helped the Shadowhunters take you and save you, you came back. I knew that you might, because she had given you her blood,” he said bitterly. “But I tried so hard. I could not disobey her and I hated it. I hated letting her hurt you.”

Simon saw the pain in his eyes and shushed him gently, pulling him into a hug. “I never blamed you,” he said, laying his head on Raphael’s shoulder. “I blamed her.”

Raphael held him closer, arms strong around him as he hugged him close. “I hoped your friends would turn you when I took you to them, so I could make up for it. So I could keep you safe and protect you the way I should have before she killed you. I respected that it was not my choice to make, but theirs, so I gave them the option. I knew that the Shadowhunters would want to stake you, but I hoped Clary would not.”

Simon closed his eyes, relaxing into Raphael’s arms. “I wish I could say I started falling for you when we first met, but honestly, I was sort of terrified and you did hold a sword to my throat, so there’s that,” he said and Raphael chuckled, his voice vibrating in his chest against Simon’s. “Then I hated you for being the same monster I had become. I was so cruel to you at first,” Simon mused.

Raphael kissed his shoulder. “It is forgiven. It was forgiven when you said it.” 

Simon hummed. “I didn’t really start to notice how hot you were until you locked me and Clary up in that cage. You looked so smug and sorta playful and wow. Your face when you’re not glaring. It’s so beautiful. I was like, ‘wow, sexuality crisis on top of being a newly turned vampire, thanks’.”

Raphael pulled away in surprise. “You did not like men?” he asked, frowning.

Simon rolled his eyes. “Dude, Raphael, I’m eighteen. I’m allowed to figure things out. This is the age for learning things about yourself. It’s not like I just met you and you’re like some exception. I guess I never really took the time to look at dudes who aren’t actors in movies and don’t count. Although maybe I should’ve counted them all along,” he mused. “I always had a thing for Ewan McGregor but I sorta thought that was just a thing all guys did but didn’t admit out loud.” Raphael looked at him in confusion and Simon groaned. “God you don’t know who Ewan McGregor is, how did I ever fall for you?” he asked. He chuckled, snuggling up to Raphael, pecking his lips sweetly. “Good thing I learned that I really sort of like you.” He hesitated, blushing some. “And that Clary’s almost-boyfriend-turned-brother is really hot in black leather no matter how much I hate him.”

Raphael gave him an offended huff. “That blond Shadowhunter? Really?”

“Hey, I’m used to Mundane standards of beauty,” he defended. “Blond-haired, blue eyed bad boy types in leather are like… THE standard of hot guy!” 

Raphael grunted unhappily, but leaned in, kissing Simon’s jaw. He pushed Simon down onto the pillows as he moved, sliding his lips along his throat, leaving kisses as he went. Simon melted against him, moving his head so that Raphael could reach better. “Gringos,” he murmured. 

Simon snorted out a laugh in surprise, pulling away to look at him. “Did you just call me a ‘gringo’? Seriously?” He wrapped his arms around Raphael and pulled him with him as he rolled over, making Raphael flop down in front of him with an annoyed huff. Before he could complain, Simon looked an arm around him, tugging him until they were chest to chest. “I can’t believe I used to think you weren’t funny. Thank God, I met you.”

Raphael looked up at him in surprised. “Simon,” he said, smiling at him. He kissed him sweetly, sliding his hand along Simon’s side. “Did you hear what you just said?” he asked, and Simon frowned in confusion before slowly coming to realization.

“Whoa, hey, I didn’t choke on the big G-dash-D,” he said excitedly.

Raphael smirked, tugging him into a slow, easy kiss before pulling away with a series of pecks. “All you needed was a distraction,” he breathed and Simon hummed playfully, leaning down to chase his lips again.

“Well a very attractive man wrapped up in my arms is quite the distraction.” He knocked their foreheads together. “You are very distracting, Raphael.”

Raphael nudged their noses together. “I will happily distract you for however long you want me to be a distraction, Simon Lewis,” he said, his eyes the only thing showing how serious he was.

The butterflies in Simon’s stomach belied exactly how much he enjoyed the sentiment. “Hope you’ve got a lot of free time, then,” he said, settling against Raphael, who held him without the slightest hesitation.

“Plenty of it,” Raphael whispered, pressing a kiss to Simon’s earlobe. “ _Para siempre, si lo deseas._ ”


End file.
